Udupi: Labourerís 18 huts burnt in Chitpadi

By Snehalatha, Udupi Udupi Today Media Network

Udupi, 21 April 2012: The 18 huts of construction labourers from north Karnataka caught fire and burnt completely in Chitpady, near Beedinagudde on Friday. There has been property damage but no casualties. The cause of fire is not known. These labourers from Bagalkot and Badami origin have been living here near Hanuman Garage, by building huts since 15 years and all of them had gone to work.

At around 10.30 am in the morning fire was caught in one hut, the fire spread quickly in minutes as these huts were built by coconut leaves, plastic sheet etc. which is combustible material and the 18 huts which were one beside the other were all burned down. Only 4 huts were left without burning. These poor labourers were depending on bicycles for their transportation, in this fire mishap 6 bicycles and 1 moped were burnt. By the time the fire brigade came to the spot the fire had already shown its strength.

The things in these labourer’s huts such as some food items, ration card, voter’s identification card, other documents, some money, gold jewellery, cloths, utensils and other such items were burnt. It is assumed that the fire while cooking in the morning must have caused this tragedy.

The children from these labourer’s houses were going to school, since it is holidays now more than 10 persons had gone to their native place along with their children. The people from the other huts were to go in a couple of days. Among them one person by name Ratna who had kept the gold and money with the owner’s safe custody had brought it back. But all that is now burnt down. He has incurred losses of about rupees 30 thousands.

The labourers who lost the huts are all from Bagalkot district and they are Maruthi, Huligamma, Yamunawwa, Siddu, Parashurama, Siddaramayya, Shekara, Sangawwa, Ramappa, Nagaraja, Malagappa, Yamunappa, Mahanthesha and others.

At the same time fire was caught to the dry grass in Eshwaranagara. With the immediate action by the fire brigade saved the huts in the surrounding areas from catching fire.